Invisible Differences

4.5/5 stars

With lovely art style and a story told with compassion, Invisible Differences is about a woman in her late 20's being diagnosed with Asperger's in a country that doesn't give it much credence where misinformation is rife. While Marguerite's story is centred around autism, this is a story that anyone with a form of neuro-divergence can recognise themselves in and find a bit of comfort in seeing Marguerite triumph.

It is also wonderful as an educational tool to explain what living with ASD (or generally being neuro-atypical, or having a chronic condition) is like in a way that isn't condescending or light-footed. It's perfect to evoke an empathy and understanding in others who may not have first hand experience of conditions like this. To those of us who have, Dachez leaves us a heartwarming note at the beginning of the book to remind us we shouldn't hold ourselves to the standards of others and to live our lives without fear. Something we could all do with being reminded of now and then.

I see a lot of myself in Marguerite: sensitive to noise, drained by social interactions and the spoon theory as well as some of the negative interactions she goes through before officially receiving her diagnosis. The uplifting outcome is all the better for knowing this is a true story of the author and her artist friend.

This has been a translation from a French original and I didn't detect any jilted phrases along the way so excellent in every respect.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for honest reviews.

You can also read this review on my external blog, Aspects of Me: https://aspectsof.me/2020/05/15/read-invisible-differences/

Really like the slow movement from red and black to full color. It was great. The translation felt a little bit stilted, but it didn't impact how relatable or enjoying I found this. Lucy reviewed it on her Instagram, which is how I found out about it.